Noia
by ChocolateMilkLOL
Summary: Being part of the Brotherhood is a busy job: there are contracts to complete, and, when at home, one must be ready to come to Ezio's side whenever he calls. It's such a busy job in fact, that recruits have a difficult time figuring out what to do when they get the day off. Join the assassin's and their shenanigans as they try to defeat one of their greatest enemies: boredom!
1. House of Cards

**A/N: Salutations! Long time no see, eh? Well, I suppose not for most of you seeing as this is my first Assassin's Creed fic. Anyways, Welcome to the _Noia_ series! ('Boredom' in English) This will be a series of one-shots (and maybe a few multi-chapter installations) centered around the assassin recruits from Brotherhood. I hope you enjoy!**

**(See end for further notes)**

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Chapter 1: House of Cards

"Come one…. _una_… _di più_... Yes!" Beatrice Simoni did a small victory jig after placing two more cards onto the rather large structure in front of her.

A day off from missions and being on call resulted in a surprising amount of boredom, and she sulked around the guild all morning trying to think of something to do. The two newest recruits were out on an errand, and the only other female was on a mission in Venezia. Niccolo Ciccone, the only other _assistente_ so far, had the day off as well, but he seemed absent to be as she could not find him anywhere when she had looked before. Eventually, Beatrice finally found relief in a deck of cards she discovered sitting on one of the bookshelves.

A steadily growing house of cards was founded on the large table that was normally used for maps, while Beatrice opted to stand so she could flit around her creation, creating additions onto its sides from time to time. She was quite proud of her creation. Beatrice had always love playing with cards with her father when she was little. It had been many years since she had done this, and she could say she was thoroughly enjoying her day off now. Beatrice smiled to herself as she picked up two more cards to add to the top of the house. Her tongue stuck out from the corner of her mouth in concentration as she slowly lowered the cards. Only a few more centimetres…

"Oi, Beatrice!"

The female assassin squeaked in surprise and flailed backwards, trying desperately to avoid knocking over her creation. Putting her hand over her rapidly beating heart, she whirled around towards the voice and glared angrily at the person who almost ruined the card house.

"_Dio mio_! Niccolo, you _pezzo di merda_!" she exclaimed. Niccolo just laughed in response, and held his hands up in front of him as a measly defence against the onslaught of insults tumbling from Beatrice's mouth.

"Whoa, calm down, B! What's the big deal?" Niccolo asked.

Beatrice huffed and strode towards him, jabbing a finger at his chest. "You almost made me knock down my house of cards! All those hours could have gone to waste!"

Truth be told, she had only spent an hour or so on the entire thing. A little lie would not hurt though, especially if it meant Niccolo feeling guilty about something, the man was too prideful to admit to anything in her opinion.

"Well sorry," he said, rolling his eyes. "What_ever_ can I do to make it up to you?"

Beatrice turned on her heel and walked back over to the table. She counted the cards remaining in her deck and found there were only six left. If she wanted to keep construction going, she would be needing a lot more supplies.

"Seeing as you offered so kindly, you can go find me another deck of cards," Beatrice said, not even bothering to look at Niccolo as she spoke.

"Excuse me?" Niccolo sputtered indignantly, a look of disbelief on his face. "You have got to be kidding me. If you're so desperate for more cards, you can go to the Thieves Guild and get them yourself. I'm sure they have plenty there for your stupid house."

"Not in a million years! I refuse to leave my creation alone in your presence, with the fear that you will end up destroying it," Bianca growled.

"Well I would not destroy it because it is hardly worth my time!"

"Can't you come up with a better comeback than that, _stupido_?"

"Who're you calling stupid, you bullheaded co- "

"We're back!"

Rafaelle Cavallari and Zaccaria Vitelli walked into the main room of the headquarters and instantly regretted doing so, as they spotting Beatrice and Niccolo fighting in the corner beside a large house of cards. The two recruits exchanged nervous glances, unsure if they should intervene or not. While on one hand they were curious to know what their two higher-ups were arguing about, they also knew that Beatrice could get very scary very fast when she was mad. Niccolo was not much better either. Although he had more patience than the latter, once he lost it, it was almost certain that things would get ugly. The recruits had just decided to slip away undetected when Beatrice spotted them and waved them over. Rafaelle and Zaccaria shared a stifled groan as they warily approached the duo.

"Morning, _recluta_," Niccolo greeted with a lazy grin. All of his earlier agitation seemed to have disappeared; although, an obvious tension still lingered around Beatrice.

"Good morning," Zaccaria replied. Rafaelle nodded in greeting.

"Neither of you wouldn't happen to have a spare deck of cards around would you?" Beatrice asked.

"I do," Rafaelle said, turning to heading for his sleeping quarters.

Zaccaria tipped his head to the side and asked, "What are you doing that requires another deck of cards?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" the female assassin retorted. "I'm building a house out of cards."

"It looks more like a fortress to me," Niccolo quipped.

"Well, no one asked you," Beatrice snapped.

Niccolo rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to answer when Rafaelle re-entered the room, deck of cards in hand. He handed them to Beatrice who beamed in return.

"Thank you, Rafaelle! Now I can finally finish this thing!"

The three men all exchanged looks as Beatrice seemed to forget about their presence and returned to her construction efforts. Shrugging, Niccolo wandered off and motioned for the other two to follow. He knew full well of what would happen if any of them was stupid enough to interrupt the female assassin.

Many hours later, it had become early evening and the sun was just beginning to sink below the buildings of Roma. Niccolo, Raphaelle, and Zaccaria had all managed to avoid the main room in which Beatrice and her card house, which was most likely a castle by now, occupied.

"We have not heard much from Beatrice in a while now," Zaccaria commented after looking out the window to see the street lamps being lit. "Do you think she's OK?"

"She's probably fine," Niccolo grunted as he scrubbed at a very persistent smudge on his blade.

Raphaelle turned his head to look at them from his place on the floor. "She fell asleep a while ago."

Zaccaria's brows rose in question. "Really?"

The other man nodded and went back to his meditation. Zaccaria heard the sound of leather against fabric, and turned to see Niccolo strapping his now clean hidden blade to his arm. After releasing the blade experimentally a few times, he stood and sauntered over to the archway leading to the main room of the headquarters.

"Where are you going?" Zaccaria asked.

"I want to see how big that house of cards is now." he answered smirking. "Care to join me?"

"I would not go if I were you," Raphaelle piped up from the floor. "That invitation has danger written all over it."

"Nonsense! I only wish to admire the skills of my partner."

Sighing, Zaccaria stood and walked over to Niccolo. "I will probably regret this decision, but I too am curious to see what Beatrice managed to build."

As the two men strolled into the next room, they could hear a soft snoring coming from the far corner. When they rounded the small wall, they both had to stop and do a double take as they came face-to-face with an enormous, card edifice. Zaccaria stared, his mouth hanging open, as Niccolo quickly regained his composure and slipped around the side of the table. He snorted loudly as a hand flew to his mouth to muffle the rest of his snickers. Blinking and shaking his head, Zaccaria snapped out of his trance and joined Niccolo, almost laughing out loud at the sight. Beatrice had somehow managed to fall asleep with her head resting on her arms on the table as the card structure made an arch over her sleeping form. Her hair fell around her shoulders and face, but it did nothing to cover the drool spot on her arm.

"Hey, _recluta_, watch this."

Zaccaria looked to Niccolo, and found, to his horror, that the other man had shuffled close to the table and shifted a little ways away before suddenly jerking his midsection to hip check the table. All at once, the structure on the table shifted and collapsed, causing cards to fly every which way. Beatrice jerked awake, her head hitting the arch above her as she straightened in the chair she sat in. This only served to cause more problems, as Beatrice's chair flew back when she abruptly shifted her weight. Zaccaria jumped back to avoid being hit by flailing arms, and glanced at Niccolo in bewilderment as the other man stood clutching his stomach and laughing his head off. Was he not scared of the rage he was about to experience?

"_Cazzo_!" Beatrice exclaimed loudly from her place on the floor. Her head snapped up to shoot a murderous glare at her fellow _assistente_, which only served to amuse him more.

"Oh, B! You should see your face right now! _Impagabile_!" Niccolo laughed breathlessly.

"_Figlio di puttana_! I will have your head, Ciccone!"

Zaccaria caught Beatrice around the waist before she could throw herself at Niccolo, and he tried desperately to hold her back; although, despite her petite size, she was quite strong. However, instead of using the time to run, Niccolo just continued to laugh at the raging woman.

"_S-signora_, please!" Zaccaria pleaded, struggling to keep his grip on Beatrice.

"Niccolo, you _stronzo_! Come and fight me like a man!" she screamed at him. She then suddenly turned on Zaccaria and started mercilessly kicking at his shins. "And you! Why did you not stop him, _idiota_?!"

"_Mi dispiace_, Beatrice, but I-"

Zaccaria was cut off as Beatrice landed a blow on his stomach. She managed to wriggle out of his grip and shove him towards Niccolo. Said man was too busy laughing to notice the new threat, and they both ended up falling to the ground. Rubbing his head, Niccolo grumbled under his breath, only to stop when he heard the sound of cracking knuckles. He and Zaccaria looked up to see Beatrice standing over them, giving them both a look that could kill. Not even a second past before they scrambled to their feet and hightailed it away as fast as they could.

Beatrice took chase and shook her fist after their retreating forms, yelling, "Get back here and fight me like, cowards!" as Niccolo and Zaccaria burst through the door of the headquarters and onto the streets of Roma.

As silence fell upon the interior of the headquarters, Raphaelle could only shake his head and wonder what fate would befall the two unfortunate assassins.

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**A/N: Oh boy, looks like Niccolo and Zaccaria are in for it... Shoud've listened to Raphaelle, eh? So, what'd you think? Like it, hate it? Let me know! Also, feel free to drop a prompt! I have a few more ideas, but I would love to hear some ideas from you guys! I will also be updating my profile with the characters from this story, just to keep track of them all. All of them, save Niccolo, all have names from the actual game. I surfed through a few forums to get the names, and mixed around some of the first and last names, but I kept Beatrice Somoni since it seemed like everyone had her. XD Also, excuse my horrible Italian, haha.**

**Please read and review!**

**CMilk out!**


	2. Not Leonardo da Vinci

**A/N:**** Greetings! I come bearing another chapter for you guys! Today's will be focusing on the only recruit who was not around during last time, Adel Sozzi!**

**LucDeep:** Ah, I'm glad! :D Awh man, that sucks. I've never actually managed to build a card house. I'm usually only able to get two cards up, haha!

Infinte Luminarium: **Thanks so much! I will try my best entertain! :D**

**(see end for further notes)**

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Chapter 2: Not Leonardo da Vinci

"So, what are you going to do on your day off?"

"Oh, probably relax some. There are a few things I would like to get done anyways," answered Adel Sozzi. The fair-haired girl stood leaning against the wall as she watched her friend, and cousin, Beatrice pack last minute essentials into her bag. The brunette was preparing to set out to Firenze on a contract which involved chasing down a messenger and destroying some important evidence. It was a simple mission, but it was the one which would determine whether or not she would be promoted up a rank to _Milite_; something she desperately wanted, seeing as Niccolo was promoted two weeks prior.

Shoving the last of her stuff into the bag, Beatrice tied its drawstrings closed then flung it over her shoulder. Following her out into the main room of the headquarters, Adel and Beatrice shared a brief hug and words of farewell before the brunette left. As the door clicked shut, the blonde woman was left with the headquarters all to herself; well, for the rest of the day anyways. Beatrice would be gone for three or four days while Niccolo was on a contract all the way in Paris, so he wouldn't be back until sometime next week. The two _recluta_ were also out on a contract which would determine the time of their promotions to _servitore_; they would not be back until late evening.

Adel let out a wide yawn and stretched before surveying the room. She did not feeling like going outside, as it was overcast and looking like it going to start raining, but she also did not want to sit around doing nothing. Her hands were itching to do _something_, but what? She could always write up the report that went along with the completion of her mission… nah. She could try tackling a bit of the Brotherhood's bookkeeping? Despite being a guild for assassins, there was a surprising amount of paperwork that came with the profession. Adel actually contemplated the idea for a few moments before promptly tossing it away and briskly walking down to the sleeping quarters. No way was she going to spend her day doing boring paperwork. No, she was going to spend it doing something fun.

Adel crouched beside her bed and reached underneath to pull out an easel. She then grabbed a satchel, a wooden box, and a blank canvas from the space between her bed and the wall. She then made her way back to the main room. Adel set the satchel and box near the main desk before moving to the other end of the room to set up the easel and canvas. After making sure it was standing firmly on the ground, she walked back to her satchel, which contained a paint stained smock and an old, worn bandana. Adel slipped the smock over the shirt she was wearing and rolled up the sleeves before using the bandana to hold back her hair. After making sure her clothes were sufficiently protected from what she was going to do, she moved to the box and opened it, staring at its contents with a wide grin. Inside sat different coloured spheres that were plentiful in number, insuring that she would not run out any time soon. They were about the same size as smoke bomb, but their purpose was a bit different. Adel took a handful of the spheres and dropped a few in a pouch at her side. She rolled the remaining ones around in her fingers as she made her way across the room from her canvas.

Once she was in position, she held one of the balls in her left hand and pull her arm back. Adel suddenly pitched her arm forward, sending the purple coloured ball hurdling towards the easel. As it came into contact with the rough material, the thin shell encasing whatever was inside broke, sending paint splattering over the canvas.

"Whew! That felt good!" Adel huffed, smiling in glee. Before she joined the Brotherhood, she was always experimenting with paints and other art mediums. She invented and refined the paint balls whenever she had free time, which was not very often, but this was the first chance she had gotten to try them out.

"Let's try some blue, shall we?"

One after another, balls of paint –red, green, yellow, orange, pink, and many others- were all sent flying at their target, mercilessly pummeling the painting _and_ the floor around it. As she stopped to reload, Adel took a minute to marvel at her creation. She was no Leonardo da Vinci, but she had to admit, there was a strange sense of beauty that came from the painting. Colours mixed and layered in ways that the public had not seen (and probably would not be ready to see for some time). There was no 'subject'; no main focus on anything in particular. It was purely nonconcrete, something that reflected Adel's personality perfectly.

Getting ready for another round of paint projectiles, Adel was too busy to notice the sound of the headquarters' door being opened and closed, and the sound of footsteps walking down the stairs to the main room. It was only after she had shot three bright, green balls that she noticed the dark-clad figure saunter into the room.

"_Singore_, duck!" Adel squeaked desperately. Her hands flew to her eyes, unable to watch any further.

"_Che diavolo era_?" the figure exclaimed, sounding more surprised than angry.

Adel peeked through her fingers and saw, much to her relief, that the figure that dropped to the ground just in time to avoid being drenched in green paint. When she recognized just exactly who the figure was, she flushed red in embarrassment.

"Oh, no! _M-mi dispiace_! I did not see you! No paint got on your robes, did it?"

Said figure was none other than Ezio Auditore himself.

"No," Ezio grunted, getting to his feet and brushing the dust from the front of his clothes. "What in the Lord's name were you doing anyways?"

Adel scratched the back of her head and gave a nervous chuckle. "I was painting, _Maestro_."

The older assassin looked to his right to see a paint-splattered easel and canvas. He rose a brow in question as he examined the painting in question. Being used to ones that his friend Leonardo painted, or the ones he bought from the art merchants, all he saw in Adel's was obnoxious amount of colour and chaos.

"This is what you call painting? How did you even manage this?"

"Ah, you would not understand. You see, every artist has their own style," Adel explained, moving to stand behind her _maestro_, who was still trying to find something familiar in the work. "This is mine. I call it… Adelism." She did not bare ill feelings towards the man. She knew her art style was extensively more different that other artists of the period.

Ezio crossed his arms and eyed the drops of paint littering the surrounding area of the easel. "Well, whatever you call it, just make sure you clean up after you are done. This is an Assassin guild, not Leondardo da Vinci's workshop."

"You do not want me to stop?" Adel asked in surprise.

"No, why would I? You look to be enjoying yourself. Besides, I think we should take any chance we get to relax a bit. It helps with keeping us sane, especially with our profession," Ezio shrugged. Adel watched in fascination as the elder _assassino_ walked away, leaving her to her own devices once again.

Turning back to her painting, her stroked her chin and cocked her head to the side in thought. As her eyes scanned the painting, her face suddenly lit up.

"I know what I will call this painting! I shall title it, 'Not Leonardo da Vinci'!"

A perfectly abstract title for a perfectly abstract painting, that of which only an equally abstract artist could create.

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**A/N: Hehe, Adelism... She needs to be more careful. We almost had a paint-covered Ezio on our hands! Anywho~ Let me know what you thought of this chapter! Also, thank you so much for the follows, favs, and reviews on the last part! I really appreciate it! And, remember you're welcome to leave a prompt for a story! I'm already wanting to include Adel's paint balls in some other situations. All of which will end in well, I'm sure. XD**

**Please read and review!**

**CMilk out!**


	3. Mr Handyman

**A/N: _Salute!_ Welcome to another chapter of _Noia_!**

**LucDeep:** Thanks! Glad you liked it!

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Chapter 3: Mr. Handyman

"OK, try it again."

"Sure." Zaccaria planted his feet firmly on the floor and gave the handle of the water pump he was holding a few pushes. He waited for water to come out, but nothing happened, so he continued his ministrations. Unfortunately, they were having the opposite effect of what he wanted, and the pumps were actually driving water out from a leak in the pipe, much to the chagrin of the one trying to fix it.

"Aye! Stop, _stop_!" Niccolo sputtered, trying unsuccessfully to block the jet of water propelling itself at his face.

"_Che cosa_? Niccolo, what happened?" Zaccaria asked, stopping the pump. He looked at the hole they had made in the floor by removing some of the floorboards. While the upper half of Niccolo's body was hidden under the boards they had not removed, his lower half was still visible.

Zaccaria watched the older man pull himself from under the floor and sit up in the hole, drenched in water from head to chest. The younger _assassino_ gaped and Niccolo glared in response.

"The leak is still there," he declared irritably.

"I can see that." Both men turned to see an angry looking Beatrice standing at the doorway with only a towel on and her hands on her hips. Her brown hair was damp and had patches of white suds in it, and it hung in messy, tangled locks. She narrowed her eyes at the both of them and said, "When can I finished my bath? I still need to rinse my hair."

While Zaccaria blushed and averted his gaze, Niccolo just rolled his eyes and casually squeezed some of the water from his ponytail.

"Relax, _donna_," he said, twirling the wrench he was holding in lazy circles. "I have everything under control."

Beatrice rose a sceptical eyebrow. "Uh huh, right. Well, so long as you get it fixed soon so that I can finish my bath."

"Tch, why don't you just finish bathing in the river, _stupido_?" He grumbled the last part under his breath. Beatrice seemed to not hear him, for she did not retort with a haughty comeback, and he was partly thankful he had not started anymore trouble.

Sighing, Niccolo ducked back into the hole. Zaccaria snapped back to reality as he heard the older man ask for a screwdriver, his waving hand sticking out of the floor.

"Do you think there might be something blocking the pipe?" Zaccaria asked as he gave the assassin-turned-plumber his requested tool. "Maybe it's not just a leak."

"Maybe," Niccolo grunted, he voice muffled. "Makes sense seeing as if it was just a leak, there would at least be a few drops of water coming out from the tap."

"If there _is_ something stuck in the pipe, how're we going to get it out?"

Zaccaria blinked as a quiet chink was heard followed by a louder "aha!". He crouched by the hole and tipped his head in question. It took a few moments and some frustrated grunts, but Niccolo eventually re-emerged from the hole. He looked a bit flustered, but also victorious.

"You were right," he said, grinning. "There _was_ something blocking the pipe!"

"What was it?"

"_Un pesce_!"

"_Mi scus_ –"

Zaccaria yelped as what appeared to be a bloated, half-rotted fish was shoved in his face. His hand flew to his mouth and he abruptly fell back onto his rump. Niccolo let out a barking laugh as he withdrew his hand and stood. The younger _assassino_ glared at him from his spot on the floor.

"Get dat out of 'ere!" Zaccaria said, pinching his nose. "It smbells awful!"

Niccolo snorted. "Wimp, you haven't smelled awful until you've cleaned the facilities of the Hog's Hide _Taverna_."

"What's –"

"Niccolo, did you fix the _stupido_ bath yet?" Both men turned to see Beatrice standing at the doorway of the bathroom once again. However, her glare soon turned into a look of disgust and her nose wrinkled in obvious distaste.

"_Salute_, Beatrice," Niccolo said with a devilish grin as he waved the fish around.

"What are you holding?!"

"_Un pesce_. Do you not know what a fish is when you see one?"

Beatrice stiffened as Niccolo took a step towards her. She was ready to bolt if she had to. "I know what a fish is! Why are you holding it though? And why does it look so… so _strano_?!"

"What, you do not like fish? Come on, B! This one's been stewing in the pipes for a good while now. We should cook it up for dinner, no?"

Beatrice held her towel protectively around herself as the latter started to saunter over to her, the fish being held out and waved around in an unsuccessful attempt at enticement. "Niccolo, I swear if you – Niccolo, get that _pezzo di merda_ away from me!"

Niccolo laughed. "Aw, you're hurting its feelings. Fish is good for you! Come on, just one bite. _Per favo_ –" He was cut off as he stepped on a stray screwdriver. With a surprised yell, Niccolo fell back as he blindly grabbed for something to break his fall, except the only thing that _was_ there happened to be Beatrice's towel. The woman scream as her cover was ripped away, and he was pulled down after Niccolo in an attempt to grab the cloth back. Meanwhile, the fish had flown out of Niccolo's grasp, and was sent soaring across the room. Zaccaria, who was bent over the toolbox, looked up at the sudden commotion only to be hit square in the face by said fish.

"_DIO MIO_!" he exclaimed, flailing around helplessly. Unfortunately for him, Niccolo was too busy getting his butt kicked by a _very_ angry and flustered Beatrice to take any notice to the younger _assassino_, who was now beginning to have an anxiety attack.

As all of this was going on, Raffaele had just awoken from a nap and had to use the little _assassino's _room. However, his head was too foggy from sleep to take any notice of the chaos coming from the washroom. Padding down the hall to go relieve himself, he entered the bathroom, stepped over the squabbling _militi_, walked past his hysterical partner, and stopped in front of the chamber pot. After relieving himself, Raffaele then ignored everything going on around him again and padded back down to his room. He was fast asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

Beatrice eventually grew tired of beating Niccolo to a pulp –she left, deciding to finish her bath elsewhere-, and Zaccaria eventually calmed down enough to throw the dead fish out of the bathroom window –into the _Tevere_- and help Niccolo to the _dottore_. Needless to say, it had been quite the day.

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**A/N: Niccolo is one of those people who can figure out how to fix pretty much anything. He's very versatile. Poor Zaccaria though, he seems to get dragged into conflicts between his two seniors. Also, don't forget to check the character stats on my profile after every chapter! Sometimes I'll update their ranks and such even if it isn't mentioned in the story. ^^ Thanks for all the hits so far! It would be great if you could drop a review! Also, don't forget you can leave an idea for a chapter!**

**Please read, review, fav, and follow!**

**CMilk out!**


	4. Don't Play Me a Love Song

**A/N: Hello! Today we have a short chapter, mostly because I'm using this one to lead up to a future installment, so, look forward to that. ;) No reviews to reply to this time around, but _Noia_ got a few follows, so thank you for that! :D Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

**(See end for further notes)**

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Chapter 4: Don't Play Me a Love Song

It had been a quiet day in the Tiber Island hideout. The sky was clear for most of the day, but it had become cloudy during the afternoon, and finally started to rain into the evening. Ezio had taken it upon himself to take a small break after a rather troublesome assassination, and he also decided to give the rest of the Brotherhood a break as well. It was a rare occasion to have all the recruits at home at the same time. Usually at least one was off on a contract or aiding Ezio. Of course, the _assassini_ had decided to take advantage of their time together, and they spent the entire day chatting and bonding.

Raffele had also revealed himself to be an excellent chef, as he and Adel prepared a large, and extravagant dinner for their brethren. Unfortunately, there were two missing bodies; Ezio was still in his room, presumably still asleep after going up a few hours before for a small catnap, and Niccolo had left at lunchtime for a walk.

"Have you heard any word of Niccolo?" Adel asked as she set a bowl of tomato chutney on the large, wooden table. "He's missing the _antipasto_…"

"Sucks for him, but that just means more food for us," Beatrice said shrugging.

Zaccaria glanced out the kitchen window. The glass was streaked with rain, and the only sources of light he could see were splotches of yellow from torches and lamps. "I wonder where he got to..."

"Hopefully he's not stuck out in the rain," Adel added.

"He's not made of sugar, you know," Beatrice said around a mouthful of bread. "No one died from a bit of rain."

Zaccaria frowned. "What if he got caught by some guards?"

"You think?" Adel asked worriedly. Even Beatrice was quiet.

The recruits were just contemplating waking their _Maestro_ when they heard the door to the hideout open and close. They froze when footsteps could be heard heading down the hall towards them. Beatrice slowly reached for the bread knife and Raffaele's grip on the butcher's knife he was holding tightened. However, the tension dispersed quickly as a familiar voice floated into the kitchen, accompanied by what sounded to be a lute.

"Speak of the _Diavolo_," Adel said as Niccolo walked into the room. "We were wondering where you went."

"_Mi dispiace, bella donna_. I got… distracted," Niccolo answered, strumming a cord on the lute he was holding.

Beatrice snorted. "Where'd you get that? Did you steal it from a minstrel or something?"

A harsh, clipped cord was her answer as Niccolo glared and said, "Of course not! I steal money, not instruments. Besides, this baby is a _real_ lute! Not like the ones those tone-deaf _idioti_ use."

"Really now?" Beatrice said skeptically.

"Of course," he replied, pulling up a chair beside Beatrice. He reached over to the bowl of olives and popped one in his mouth before continuing. "I could make ten times the florins those street minstrels make in an hour in half the time."

"Oh, then in that case, maybe you could serenade us before dinner," Adel said, sitting across from Niccolo and her cousin.

Zaccaria grinned and rested his elbows on the table from his place at the head. "Yeah, if you're really as good as you claim to be, I'd like to hear it."

Niccolo grimaced and glanced at his friends' keen faces. "Er…"

"Perhaps he was exaggerating," Rafaele smirked, sitting across from Zaccaria after setting a large antipasto platter on the table.

"I was not!" the other man snapped. "It's just… I haven't played in a while is all."

Beatrice sniggered. "Yeah right, nice try. You can't play after all, can you?"

"I didn't say that! I can play!"

"Prove it," the _assassina_ said crossing her arms.

"Fine! You wanted a song, I got a song for you," Niccolo growled. Strumming the worst melody he could think of, he belted out lyrics completely out of tune. "Beatrice Simoni is a woman of nightmares. She's worse than the most ferocious of bears. You judge my lute playing skills even though I am far superior to you in every way –"

"That doesn't even rhyme!"

"-Oh, Beatrice, why are you so mean? Even though you have never seen. I am actually a very good lute player, and I think you owe me something for this song, I wager."

Zaccaria and Adel laughed while Beatrice glowered at Niccolo. "I owe you something?! That song was even worse than the ones I hear walking through town!"

"That was the point, _caro mio_," Niccolo said matter-of-factly while lazily plucking at the strings.

"_Stronzo_…"

Niccolo chuckled. "Love you too, B."

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**A/N: Basically pointless humor. Sorry if you did not enjoy this chapter as much, but, like I said, it is being used to lead up to something else. Also, poor Ezio is missing a home cooked meal. Oh well, it's up to you to decide if you think he woke up in time to get a plate, or he slept through dinner. XD Thanks for reading~! Also, feel free to leave an idea for a future chapter!**

**Please read, review, fav, and follow!**

**CMilk out!**


	5. Happy Birthday My Old Friend

**Hey yall! Sorry for not posting part 2 of the last chapter, but that'll come out soon! For now, have a chapter dedicated to a wondering and brilliant man! Leonardo da Vinci!**

**Edit: So yeah, went back and fixed grammar and some other things. Expect Raffaele's Secret part 2 to come out soon! :D**

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Chapter 7: Happy Birthday My Old Friend

"Um… Adel, are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Shh! Speak quieter," Adel said, making frantic motions with her hand. The fair-haired woman was standing in the shelter of a building, using it to hide behind as she snooped. Zaccaria frowned and looked to Adel before his gaze traveled across the market to a small stand selling fresh fruit. There were several shoppers crowing around the crates, but they were only concerned about one; one with brown hair pulled back by a bright red ribbon and a scar on his lips.

"He will sooner be seen than heard," Raffaele pointed out from his place behind Adel. He was leaning against the building with his arms crossed and his normal neutral expression on his face.

"That is why we are not wearing our robes, so it will be harder for the _Maestro_ to spot us," Adel explained. Despite that, she still grabbed Zaccaria's collar and pulled him behind the corner.

"Why can't we just leave him alone? He's obviously not doing the groceries for the Brotherhood; we might be interrupting something personal," the _servitore_ said, tugging at the back of Adel's shirt.

The _assassina_ turned and swatted Zaccaria's hand away. "That's _exactly_ why we should find out what he's doing! The _Maestro_ is a really mysterious person. Don't you want to learn more about him?"

"Learn what? If he's got a girlfriend or not? Come on, Adel, do you really want to know the details of his love life?"

"I'd be surprised if he's even got one," Raffaele stated. "I always see him at the_ Rosa in Fiore_."

Zaccaria quirked an eyebrow. "What –"

"Ah! He's gone," Adel suddenly exclaimed, cutting him off. "Come on, we have to find him!"

The _assistente _grabbed Raffaele's sleeve –he let out a startled yell at the sudden act- and dragged him off through the market. Zaccaria let out a groan, dragging his hands down his face, before following after his two friends.

The three _assassinos_ spent the rest of the day tailing Ezio; following him as he completed his errands. While he did not seem to be in much of a hurry, he did walk around with a sense of purpose and supressed excitement. They were almost caught on several occasions: one because Zaccaria bumped into some guards that wanted to cause trouble, and another because Adel had gotten too excited after watching Ezio buy some flowers from a little girl. By the time early evening rolled around, Adel, Raffaele, and Zaccaria had tracked Ezio halfway across Roma, and it didn't look like they would be stopping anytime soon.

They watched from a bench as Ezio took a horse of the nearby stables, and loaded it with all the things he had bought that day: fruit and vegetables from the market, bread and pastries from the bakery, a few (very expensive) bottles of wine from the winery, and the flowers he had bought from the little girl. He also packed a large blanket as well as a lantern. After Ezio mounted and set off at a trot, Adel jumped up and motioned for the two other to follow.

"Looks like he is going to meet someone," Raffaele said.

"It's going to be hard to follow him when he's out there on his horse," Zaccaria huffed, coming up beside Adel. "Maybe it would be best if we leave him be now."

Adel pouted. "But don't you want to see who he's going to meet?!"

"Yes- I mean, n-no! Well, yeah- I do, but –"

"Then come _on_!"

Before he could stop her, Adel jogged away after Ezio. Zaccaria turned to Raffaele for help, but the latter just shrugged. Heaving a sigh, Zaccaria ran after the _assistente_, his partner following close behind.

Using the various trees and bushes that lined the pathway as cover, the three recruits followed their _Maestro _to one of the small settlements outside of the main city. They were out of breath by the time Ezio came to a stop, and they had to take a minute to catch their breath. Once they were ready, Adel lead the way as she climbed up onto one of the buildings and watched as Ezio walked a little ways out of the neighborhood to a small cliff that was sheltered by a few tall trees.

"What's he doing?" Zaccaria asked as he crouched down beside Adel.

"Not sure," she mumbled. Raffaele soon joined them, and they watched as Ezio unpacked the horse and drape the blanket over the ground before laying out the food and drink, and lighting the lantern.

"Er, won't that catch attention?" Zaccaria asked, referring to the glowing light of the lamp.

"It's not very likely," Raffaele answered. "He picked a good spot, as it's sheltered from nearby eyes, but if someone spots it from a distance, it will appear to just be a part of the lights from one of these buildings."

"This is so romantic!" Adel gushed quietly. "I'm really curious to see what kind of girl the _Maestro_ has."

Raffaele rolled his eyes, and Zaccaria snorted, but Adel's moment of fan-girling was cut short, as Ezio began to walk towards the building they were watching from.

"_Merda!_ Get down!" Adel hissed, ducking behind the crumbled, broken wall of the second story. Zaccaria and Raffaele followed suite.

They thought for sure they were caught as they listened to Ezio walked right up to the building, but after a quiet ruffle of fabric, it was silent. Zaccaria was just about to peer over the wall when they heard another set of footsteps and a foreign voice.

"Ezio…?"

The three exchanged glances. The voice they heard did not sound like a woman's.

"_Buono sera_, Leonardo," Ezio greeted.

"And to you," Leonardo replied. "It is good to see you, _mio amico_. I am sorry for being late. It was difficult to get away from the guards."

"Well, you will have no further trouble from them. For now anyways."

"I've noticed there was an absence of guards this evening," Leonardo said. "What did you do?"

"I've just made sure they won't bother us during your _festa_."

"… My what?"

Ezio chuckled. "You couldn't have forgotten your own birthday, could you?"

A moment of silence passed between the two before Leonardo let out a surprised, but pleasantly so, sounding laugh.

"Ezio, you never cease to amaze me, _amico mio_!"

The three recruits quietly shifted so they could look over the edge of the building. They spotted Ezio sitting on the bench below them with another man donned in a fancy doublet, red cape, and red beret-styled hat. Adel's sudden intake of breath caught Zaccaria's and Raffaele's attention, and they gave her a quizzical look. She was staring down at the man on the bench with an excited and wide-eyed expression.

"Leonardo da Vinci!" she whispered excitedly. Unfortunately, she whispered a little too loudly, and the only thing that saved her from getting a throwing knife stuck in her face was Raffaele's quick reflexes.

"W-wait! _Maestro_, it's us!" Zaccaria squeaked before _Fiorentini_ was able to throw another knife.

The _servitore_ waved both his hands before slowly looking over the edge at a dumbfounded Leonardo and a furious Ezio. He gave the pair a sheepish grin as Adel and Raffaele appeared beside him.

"Um, Ezio, who are these people?" Leonardo asked.

The master assassin set his jaw and gave the three recruits a look that could kill. "These," he said motioning to them. "Are three out of the five assassin recruits that have joined the Brotherhood so far. As impressed as I am with them being able to track me here, I think they are a bit _too_ skilled for their own good."

Leonardo laughed and clapped Ezio on the shoulder. The younger man just grunted and put away his other throwing knife. He glanced up at the three assassins who were looking awkward and guilty at being caught.

"You can leave now," the master assassin said, a hint of annoyance still present in his voice.

"R-right," Zaccaria stuttered, bowing his head and disappearing from sight. After a quiet '_mi dispiace_', Raffaele followed his partner. Adel on the other hand, grinned down at the two men.

"That's romantic of you," she said. "I wish I had someone that would take me out on a moonlit picnic on my birthday."

"_Che cosa_?!" Ezio sputtered as Leonardo choked on his own spit. "We are _not_ together like _that_!"

Adel sniggered. "Whatever you say, _Maestro_!"

"Leave. _Now!_" Squeaking, Adel disappeared from the rooftop. Ezio let out a flustered sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"I'm sorry, Leonardo. Please forgive my immature recruits," he said. The artist just waved dismissively and smiled.

"It's alright," he said, holding his arms open expectantly. Ezio smiled and embraced his friend.

They heard a giggle come from behind a nearby building, followed by muffled voices and shouts of protest.

Ezio's eye twitched and Leonardo just chuckled in amusement.


	6. Raffaele's Secret

_**Ciao, amici miei!**_** Sorry for the long wait, but I had to make a few changes. So, as you probably noticed, this chapter is a re-write of the other Raffaele's Secret chapter. I kind of lost interest in the other one, but the principle's pretty much the same. I hope you enjoy~**

**See bottom for more notes.**

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Chapter 6: Raffaele's Secret

"Check mate."

"Seriously?! Again?" Zaccaria stared at the chess board in disbelief. Raffaele only smirked as he turned the white king around in his hand. Groaning, Zaccaria began clearing the pieces from the board, having enough of the game.

"Do not feel bad," the older man said. "I have been playing all of my life, and you only started a few weeks ago."

Zaccaria scratched his head. "I do not get how you can plan so far ahead."

"That is why I am the strategist," Raffaele chuckled.

The other man opened his mouth to reply, when a sharp smack on his head cut him off. Zaccaria yelped as he dropped the pawns he was holding.

"_Bastardo_!" Beatrice exclaimed, crossing her arms and glaring down at the _assistente_.

Zaccaria cowered under the elder's furious gaze. He had no idea what he had done to receive this, but he knew it could not be good. "What did I do?!" he squeaked.

"Don't give me that! You drank all the milk, _again_!"

"_Che cosa_?" Zaccaria sputtered. "But, I don't even drink milk!"

Beatrice scowled. "Yes you do! You've been drinking all of our milk for the past three days!"

"Who told you that?"

"Raffaele," the _milite_ said matter-of-factly. "At first I thought it was him, but _he_ was the one who said he didn't drink milk."

Beatrice and Zaccaria shared a sudden look of realization, and turned to Raffaele who, by this time, had slipped out of his fireside chair, and was already jogging from the armory. It took only a few moments for them to get over their epiphany, before both assassins scrambled after Raffaele.

"Raffaele! Get back here, _figlio di puttana_!" Beatrice yelled.

The _assistente_ knew about the verbal (and most likely physical) lashing he would receive if he listened, so, instead, he took a sharp right and quickly ascended the stairs to the entrance of the hideout. Zaccaria almost ran into Beatrice because of the abrupt direction change, but both assassins managed to recover and continue after Raffaele. Unfortunately for the fleeing man, as he wretched open the wooden door, he came face to face with the hooded Master Assassin himself, and, before either could react, Raffaele had bowled right into Ezio.

"_Che diavolo_?!" the elder man exclaimed, immediately recovering and rolling to his feet.

"_Maestro_," Beatrice grinned as she came to a stop in the doorway. "You caught _il piccolo stronzo_!"

Ezio's eyes flicked to the _assassina_ before moving back to Raffaele, who was being helped up by Zaccaria, only for the poor man to be punched in the gut by Beatrice. The younger _assistente _only sighed and pat his partner's shoulder in a half-hearted attempt at comfort.

"What was that for?" Ezio asked, raising his eyebrow and smirking. "Raffaele, you do not seem to be one to get on a woman's bad side."

"When he steals all the milk, he does!" Beatrice butt in.

The Master Assassin crossed his arms. "That explains why I could not find any yesterday afternoon."

"Also, why did you tell Beatrice it was _me_ who was drinking all the milk?" Zaccaria added, frowning.

Raffaele coughed and flushed in embarrassment as his gaze travelled to all three of the assassins standing around him.

"I, um… I used the milk for a family of cats I look out for," Raffaele explained. "They live in a building a few streets over…"

Beatrice raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Your family of cats went through fifteen bottles of milk in four days?"

"… There are a lot of them."

"Apparently."

Ezio chuckled and shook his head as he unfolded his arms and clapped Raffaele on the shoulder. "I'm sure the cats appreciate your thoughtfulness; however, perhaps you could maybe bump it down to a lesser amount? All this milk is beginning to get expensive."

Raffaele bowed his head as he uttered an embarrassed, "_si Maestro_", Ezio chuckling and shaking his head as he walked by and into the hideout. As soon as the Master Assassin was out of earshot, Beatrice whacked Raffaele over the head.

"That is what you get for lying," she said smugly.

Zaccaria rolled his eyes and gently punched Raffaele's arm, saying, "And that was for blaming me for the missing milk."

Blushing, the _assistente_ flashed an embarrassed smile. "_Mi dispiace_, Zaccaria."

"So," Beatrice interrupted. "Are you going to introduce us to these cats?"

Raffaele gave a secretive smile. "Perhaps one day. But, until then, we should get more milk."

Zaccaria laughed. "And who will be paying for it exactly?"

"Not me," Beatrice said.

"Do not worry," Raffaele chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I will pay for it."

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**In the original chapter, Raffaele was stealing the stuff for his cats, so it's almost the same as this. ^^ There will be a few more chapters to expend on his story eventually. Don't forget to leave a review! Also, feel free to leave a prompt if you have an idea for a story! :D**

**CMilk out!**


	7. Niccolo Squared

**Salute! How is everyone this fine day? I hope all is good for you. Anyways, I bring you a new chapter of _Noia_ today! This one was fun to write. I love messing with Machiavelli. XD**

**LucDeep:** Oh gosh. XD I'm an only child, but I drink tons of milk and I'm always getting yelled at to change the bag when I finish.

**See bottom for more notes.**

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Chapter 7: Niccolo Squared

"_Mi scusi, signorina_, but do you by any chance know where Niccolò is?"

Beatrice turned from the bookshelf she was staring at to come face to face with a hooded man in orange and brown robes. She instantly took note of his strange, violet eyes, and concluded that he must be the man people called, 'La Volpe'.

"Niccolo? Hmm, last time I saw him he was helping scoop horse shit out of the stables," the _milite_ said.

The Fox's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Niccolò is helping do what?"

"He's helping in the stable. The _Maestro_ put him there as punishment after he got into a brawl with the local blacksmith. Serves him right, too," Beatrice snorted.

"Forgive me, _signorina_, but I do not think we are talking about the same person," the Fox said, crossing his arms. "If what I am hearing is correct: Niccolò Machiavelli got into a fight with a blacksmith, and Ezio put him to work in the stables?"

Beatrice just about choked on her own spit as she realized her mistake.

**oooOOOooo**

"_Buon giorno_, Ezio," Machiavelli greeted as he past the Master Assassin on his way out of the hideout. Ezio stepped out of the way and nodded in return before entering the building. As he descended the stairs, he spotted Adel standing in the middle of the main room holding a lute and frowning.

"Is there something you need help with, _bella donna_?" Ezio asked, pulling off his hood.

The blonde woman turned to face the assassin. "Do you know where Niccolo went?"

"He just left. Did you need him for something?"

"The bugger," Adel muttered, snapping her fingers. Ezio stared at her in surprise. "Thinks get out of teaching me how to play lute is just this easy, eh? I'll show him."

"I did not know Machiavelli could play the lute," the assassin said as he watched Adel storm past.

"I'm not talking about_ Maestro_ Machiavelli," Adel said with a wave of her hand. "I'm talking about our Niccolo."

Ezio's mouth formed an 'o' shape in understanding as he watched Adel exit the hideout.

**oooOOOooo**

"How did I get dragged into this?" Raffaele asked, watching Niccolo pause his work to wipe his brow with an already sweat-stained cloth.

"You're Zaccaria's partner," Beatrice stated, pulling the _assistente_ back and out of the view of her fellow _milite_. "You need to support him in his endeavors."

Raffaele frowned. "I do not have a bone to pick with Niccolo… unlike the rest of you apparently."

Beatrice just snorted and crossed her arms while Zaccaria gave an embarrassed cough and Adel put a hand on her hip. The four assassins stood a little ways away from the stables where Niccolo was working, using a tree and a cart full of as cover. Adel and Beatrice held buckets of water while Zaccaria had his filled his with sawdust from the local carpenter's; Raffaele had a feeling it would backfire, and refused to take part in their prank.

It was Zaccaria who had mentioned it first. He had decided it was about time to pay Niccolo back for the time he threw the dead fish at his face, and Beatrice was the one who set it in motion. Of course, Adel couldn't help but be curious as to what they were up to, so she got decided to join them because Niccolo had forgotten about their lute lesson. It had been Beatrice who dragged Raffaele along, but the _assistente_ was just waiting for an opening so he could slip away unnoticed. That moment came when Beatrice, Adel, and Zaccaria began a disagreement about how they would lure the unsuspecting _milite_ into their trap.

As Raffaele made his escape, he spotted Machiavelli ride into the coral and hand his horse off to Niccolo. They exchanged a few words, and then the assassin recruit walked off to care for the stallion. Raffaele was contemplating staying to watch from a distance, but he immediately decided to return to the hideout when he heard Beatrice call Niccolo's name. He definitely was _not_ going to be involved in this.

**oooOOOooo**

Raffaele looked up from the map he was marking as the door to the hideout burst open, and a man soaked with water stormed inside followed by Beatrice, Adel, and Zaccaria. The three assassin recruits looked like scolded puppies, and they stayed a respectable distance away from the fuming man as his furious gaze quickly scanned the room. He spotted Raffaele in the corner and the _assistente_ swallowed nervously under Machiavelli's gaze.

"Where is Ezio?" he asked, his voice eerily calm.

"I do not know, _Maestro_," Raffele answered.

Machiavelli harrumphed and instead called out into the building itself, "Ezio! I request an audience with you concerning you recruits!"

After a few tense moments, the sound of footsteps could be heard, and everyone directed their attention to the weaponry doorway as Ezio and the Fox walked into the room. They froze mid-step when they spotted Machiavelli.

"What happened to you?" _La Volpe_ asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Your recruits thought it would be funny to throw water and sawdust at me," the soaking man said, glaring daggers at Ezio.

"I-it was not meant for _Maestro_ Machiavelli!" Adel blurted, immediately ducking her head as every set of eyes in the room were directed at her.

Machiavelli opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by the Fox as he took a few steps forward and said, "It also seems like you are lacking the sawdust you spoke of."

The younger man scowled as _La Vople_ gestured to his form, a poorly hidden smirk gracing his lips. Before any more conflict could arise, Ezio strode forward and pushed between the bristling Machiavelli and the amused Fox.

"Hold on a minute," the Master Assassin said. "I would like to hear the entire story, _per favore_."

The assassins' attentions were directed at the three recruits, the ones who were not there to witness the event eager to know just what had happened. The three exchanged uncertain glances, before Zaccaria stepped forward.

"It was my idea to play a trick on Niccolo to get revenge for something he did to me a while ago. Beatrice and Adel also had something they wanted to get back at him for, and so we came up with a plan," he explained, rubbing his arm.

Ezio began to say something, but Machiavelli cut him off saying, "I am curious to know what in the name of _Dio_ I did to you three."

"No!" Beatrice exclaimed, waving her hands frantically, "Our prank was directed towards the _other_ Niccolo: Niccolo Ciccone! Not you, _Maestro_ Machiavelli!"

"What about me?"

"Speak of the _diavolo_," Raffaele murmured under his breath as everyone turned to the main entrance where Niccolo had just descended the stairs into the main room of the hideout.

Niccolo looked around at the people assembled in confusion. He had just finished helping work in the stables, and he hoped to _Dio_ that he had not done something else wrong to get himself back there.

"Did I… do something…?" Niccolo asked, eyeing Machiavelli then shifting his gaze to Ezio.

Ezio chuckled and clapped the recruit on the shoulder. "For once, Niccolo, it was not you."

The Assassins eventually settled things between Machiavelli and the recruits, and Niccolo had a fun time laughing at Beatrice, Adel, and Zaccaria as they worked in the stables the day after. Even Raffaele decided to tag along, having avoided getting dragged into trouble once again. All in all, it was a good day for the Brotherhood, except for Beatrice, Zaccaria, and Adel, who now know how to shovel horse poop, and Machiavelli, who had to purchase a new outfit, because it turns out that his last one did not fare well against remaining wet for a prolonged period of time.

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**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved, followed! I really appreciate the support! If you haven't, don't forget to do so if you like _Noia_.**

**Until next time, _miei amici!_**

**CMilk out!**


	8. Niccolo's Story

_**Salve**_**! How are you all? Doing well I hope! Here is another update, and the last one for a while unfortunately (maybe, watch me contradict myself). School and work and all that jazz. Anyways, enjoy this chapter! I've been looking forward to this one for a while. :D**

**See bottom for more notes.**

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Chapter 8: Niccolo's Story

Beatrice let out a huff as she stumbled into the island hideout from the underground tunnel system. She looked worse for wear after being chased halfway across Roma by stubborn Borgia guards; her hair was matted and tangled under her hood, and her clothes were ripped and bloodied in several places. There were no serious injuries, but she would have a _dottore_ check them, after a nice, long bath that is.

After catching her breath, Beatrice strode further into the hideout, and her nose wrinkled when the sound of lute reached her ears. She really did not want to listen to Niccolo's purposeless strumming at the moment; however, as she got closer, the sound became clearer, and the music that filled her ears was not what she was used to hearing. No, this sounded like _real_ music; like something she would hear if she attended some fancy party with its own small chamber orchestra (not like she would ever be able to go to one of the aforementioned parties, though).

As Beatrice entered the main room of the hideout, thoughts of her future bath vanished for the time being, and she went off in search of the source of the music. It did not take her long to locate the source, but she stopped and had to do a double-take when she spotted Niccolo sitting cross-legged on one of the large, velvet chairs, playing the lute. Adel sat across from him, staring at the brunette in awe, her own lute sitting in her lap.

Beatrice stood in the entranceway with her mouth hanging open until Niccolo cracked one of his eyes open to look at her.

"Are you just going to stand there gaping like a fish?" he asked with a smug grin.

Beatrice's mouth snapped shut, and she crossed her arms and glared defensively. Niccolo only chuckled and continued to play. The female _milite_ continued to listen in silent brooding as her partner finished his previous song and started another. The notes formed a simple melody, but Niccolo added ornaments in several strategic places to accentuate certain parts and help turn the song into something someone might dance to. As she listened, Beatrice's eyebrows continued to furrow further and further in thought.

She waited until Niccolo finished the song with a _ritardando_ before speaking, "I did not know you could play lute." She felt so deceived!

Niccolo snorted and rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Well yeah, I said so before, didn't I?"

"Well excuse me for not knowing you were a poor bard before you came here," Beatrice grumbled, failing to keep the embarrassed blush from her cheeks.

"I was _not_ a bard!" Niccolo snapped.

"Could've fooled me."

Adel rolled her eyes as she watched the tension build between her friend and cousin; Beatrice could not go five minutes without starting a conflict, and Niccolo was not about to back down.

Waving her hands to get their attentions, Adel said, "OK, OK, calm down, you two."

While Beatrice muttered obscenities under her breath, Niccolo hummed something in agreement, and began to strum a random melody. Adel watched in amusement as Beatrice took a few steps into the armoury, hesitated, turned to go back, then decided against it and continued on to plunk herself down on the couch across from the fire.

"Was it a long day, _cugino_?" the fair-haired woman asked with a sympathetic smile.

Beatrice grunted as she pulled off her hood and began unbuckling the various clasps and belts holding on her armour and weapons. "Those rooftop _bastardi_ just don't know when to quit," she grumbled.

Adel opened her mouth to answer, but she was cut off by Zaccaria as he entered the armoury and said, "I think Niccolo's playing is really nice."

"I was not talking about Ciccone," Beatrice said as Zaccaria set himself down on the couch beside her and Raffaele leaned against the wall.

"You weren't?"

"No."

"Oh…"

"He just heard '_bastardi_' and assumed you were talking about Niccolo," Raffaele explained.

Zaccaria flushed a bit in embarrassment as Niccolo let out a barking laugh. He was soon followed by the others, and, as the laughter died down, the room fell into a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the crackling of the fire and the gentle plucking of lute strings.

Times like these were rare, especially during a time where snuffing out Templar influence was so important. The recruits were quickly climbing through the ranks, and, with every promotion, the longer and more difficult missions they were sent on. Niccolo was one contract away from being promoted to _discepolo_ and Beatrice was quickly catching up; the heated rivalry between them fueling her determination. Adel on the other hand, was climbing at a constant pace, but preferred the slow-and-steady-wins-the-race strategy. Raffaele and Zaccaria were also catching up to their fellow recruits. Zaccaria was the last to be recruited so far, but Raffaele had proved himself to be a loyal and supporting partner, as he waited until his companion was ready before being promoted; he would be the same rank as Niccolo if he had not delayed. Niccolo, Beatrice, and Adel had a feeling there was another reason Raffaele was content to progress slowly, but they kept their thoughts to themselves.

In the calm and peaceful atmosphere of the armoury, Beatrice was contemplating getting up from her comfortable spot and going to take a bath as she watched the flames of the fire dance around in the hearth. Adel was smiling to herself, her eyes distant, as she was content to lose herself in her own thoughts. Zaccaria was polishing his dagger while Raffaele's head bobbed lightly as he tried to keep from dozing off standing up.

It was Zaccaria who finally broke the silence with a question.

"So _where did_ you learn to play the lute?" he asked, looking up from his work.

"Believe it or not, I wanted to be a _musicista_ when I was younger," Niccolo said, pausing his playing and resting his lute on his lap. Adel took the opportunity to pluck a few strings for herself.

Beatrice couldn't help but snort. "You? A musician?"

"Hard to believe, I know."

"What stopped you from becoming one?" Adel asked, cursing afterwards as her concentration was broken and the trill she was playing abruptly cut off.

"That was good, try again. Relax your hand a bit more this time," Niccolo urged then answered, "The Borgia are the ones who put a stop to my dream."

Raffaele, who had pulled himself away from slumber at the start of conversation, muttered a curse on the Borgia. Despite his rare display of anger, no one said anything, for they all felt the same way.

"My parents died of sickness when I was very young so I was raised by my aunt and uncle who had taken over my father's _taverna_," Niccolo started, leaning back in his chair. "We were not rich by any means, but business was good, and we made a good living."

"When I was not working at the _taverna_ I was either skipping my schooling or following around the local musicians. I was apprenticing under a well-known lute player when a fight broke out at the pub. By the time I got there, the Borgia guards had beaten my aunt, pillaged most of our stock, and arrested my uncle. He was executed three days later along with five others."

The other assassins shifted uncomfortably as Niccolo went quiet. A pained expression flickered across his features, but it quickly passed, and he resumed his story.

"I took up my uncle's place at the _taverna_, and my aunt –bless the woman- did all she could to help, but with her husband gone, her health slowly declined, and I eventually convinced her to move out to the country to live with some family friends. Managing the Hog's Hide by myself was… difficult, but I managed."

"Oh, so _that's_ what you were talking about when you found that fish," Zaccaria said, recalling the time he and Niccolo had tried fixing the Brotherhood's plumbing. The results had been less than desirable, but the _assistente_ was dragged from his thoughts as Niccolo chuckled and nodded.

"_Si_, that's what I was talking about; the Hog's Hide _Taverna_. It was popular among the local denizens, and despite the odd group of Borgia dogs, it remained a good place for people to relax, socialize, and drink. Unfortunately, business dropped as time went on, and the Hog's Hide became a common place for Borgia guards to cause trouble. I only tolerated them because I was getting their money. I learned to deal with them, but one day things got out of hand between the guards and a group of angry protestors. I managed to move things outside, but the guards thought I was siding with the rebels –not that I wasn't- and they began attacking me."

"It was _Maestro_ Ezio who saved my skin. He asked me to join the Brotherhood, but I declined."

"You what?" Beatrice interrupted.

"I told him 'no'," Niccolo shrugged. "I was grateful he saved me, and owed him my life, but I could not just abandon the Hog's Hide. It was all that I had left of my family."

"Understandable," Raffaele said.

Zaccaria frowned. "If you declined his invitation, what are you doing here now?"

"The Borgia came back," the _milite_ answered, his voice hardening in obviously restrained anger. "They stormed my pub and claimed it property of the Borgia."

"And you let them have it?" Beatrice asked.

Niccolo snorted. "Of course not. I did not let it go without a fight, but there was only so much I could do. The _taverna_ was preserved, but I was beaten and would've been executed if I had not been saved by the same protesters that engaged the guards in the first place."

"Were you hurt badly?" Zaccaria asked hesitantly.

Niccolo shrugged. "Depends what your take on 'bad' is."

Lifting his shirt a ways over his stomach, Adel and Zaccaria sucked in a simultaneous sharp breath as Beatrice and Raffaele grimaced at the sight. An ugly scar cut its way across Niccolo's well-defined midsection, the edges jagged, suggesting it had not been a clean cut.

"One of them tried gutting me with a bread knife after I managed to disarm him," the _milite_ explained, pulling his shirt back down. "It didn't really work, but it hurt like hell."

"So, what did you do after?" Zaccaria asked, leaning forward in his seat. "Did you get the Hog's Hide back?"

"Does it look like he got the _taverna_ back, _stupido_?" Beatrice said, cuffing the _assistente_ over the head.

"No, I did not get it back," Niccolo interrupted, shifting so he could stretch his legs out. "I snuck back to the pub and found that it was crawling with Borgia rats. Trying to reclaim it then would have been a suicide mission. Instead, I decided to seek out Ezio."

Niccolo stared at the fire in determination, his hands clenching and unclenching on his lap. "We have not liberated the part of Roma my _taverna_ is in, but once we do, I plan on taking the Hog's Hide back."

"And you won't be alone this time," Beatrice said as she pounded her fist into her hand. "because we'll be there to help you"

"The moment is still a ways away, but until then," Niccolo grinned, "one step at a time,_ si_?"

Adel raised an imaginary glass in a toast. "Here, here!" she exclaimed.

The other recruits raised their own imaginary glasses. "_Vittoria agli Assassini_!"

* * *

**Everyone's stories will be revealed eventually. As of now, the only other character who has a back-story is Raffaele. Anyways, the poll is still up on my profile if you haven't voted yet. Also, if you like _Noia_, don't forget to review, fav, and follow!**

**CMilk out!**


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